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BMW Will Shut Down Oxford Plant for a Month After Brexit Date

(Bloomberg) -- BMW AG is bringing forward the scheduled maintenance of its Oxford plant in England to coincide with the day the U.K. is slated to leave the European Union, joining a lengthening list of companies making contingency plans for a so-called no-deal Brexit.

Instead of taking place as usual during the summer months, the four-week shut-down of the factory will start on April 1, a spokeswoman confirmed over the phone to Bloomberg. Among the reasons for the date switch are worries about Brexit, she said.

As a no-deal Brexit looks ever more likely, automakers such as Munich-based BMW are becoming increasingly worried about the impact on their supply chains. In many cases, parts for the Oxford plant arrive for just-in-time delivery, which can mean minutes before they are needed in production.

Even small delays at borders, which a no-deal Brexit would likely cause, would send ripples through BMW’s entire supply chain. The carmaker is currently calculating several weeks of adjustment following Brexit day.